African Lungfish

[PoseidonCichlid]

These have always been on my wishlist, does anyone here have any experience with them? Is it worth trying or too difficult? Thanks for your feedback.

 

[toddnbecka]

Never kept one myself, not a fan of keeping just one fish in the size tank required to properly house one. From what I've gathered they aren't too particular about water conditions or generally difficult to maintain.
Just saw a half dozen or so greater sirens of various sizes at the Hamburg reptile show Saturday. Essentially the same as lungfish aside from their external gills. Need a large tank of their own, will eat just about anything else you put in there that won't eat them first.

 

[lovecatfish]

It isint difficult. The main issue is tank size... And they aren't very active fish as well. But, maintaining its tank isint that much of a problem. It is worth trying if you have a large tank that is wide and long rather than tall. A pond would be preferable since they grow really big. I know of someone who keeps them, the water conditions just need to be clean and stable, no special requirements. Good luck

Sent from my HM NOTE 1W using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

It's mainly because as those of you know who've read my previous posts I'm into eel-like fish. That plus having a fish that has been around for 400 million years and may live over a century appeals to me. I've also heard they become very docile with their keepers and can be handfed like my dojo loaches. I've kept both greater and lesser sirens in the past, those guys can be very sensitive about their water conditions and super shy of humans so I'm guessing keeping lungfish are easier in those respects although I understand the comparison in regards to their physical aspects. Amphibian skin is always so sensitive to infections plus if you keep something like an amphiuma or a hellbender they have one hell of a bite!

 

[lovecatfish]

Haha nice. Lungfish are cool, but they grow big. A similar cool animal for a slightly smaller aquarium, maybe a dwarf goonch? Or a electric catfish. Those are cool, for a smaller tank. Say 200gallons. Dwarf goonch do okay in 125gallon since it is sluggish and not as big haha.

Sent from my HM NOTE 1W using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

I keep too many cichlids to get an electric catfish, just sensing them around him will constantly have him leaping out of his tank looking for lunch!

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

maybe a dwarf goonch?

Sent from my HM NOTE 1W using Aquarium Advice mobile app

ps. Many people think the dwarf goonch doesn't exist, they're just juvenile rutilus from Thailand. Have you seen this thread? It has excellent comparison photos especially on page 2 (it's a 4 page thread, you know how catfish people love to talk and talk and talk...LOL! )



View topic - Dwarf goonch

 

[lovecatfish]

Ya... It exists. I live in Singapore and the shops here get the stock often. We pay 60USD for them... Dwarf goonch with a lung fish will be epic!!!

Sent from my HM NOTE 1W using Aquarium Advice mobile app